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Monday, September 30, 2013

The title makes me think about photobombs! Apparently, they've been around for years, just not known by that name. Here's proof:

And in case you think that photobombing is just a random, spur of the moment action, I found multiple websites that teach you proper techniques!!

Here are a few technique samples:

Goofy Friends!

Fish Lips!

Accidental On-Screen Photobomb

Different background techniques keep life interesting for us as papercrafters, and usually the techniques produce beautiful and occasionally fascinating results. Sometimes you gotta wonder though, "How on earth did they ever figure this out? What happy accident in the craft room produced this result?"

Although this Faux Pearl technique is new to me, I believe its been around for awhile. It uses Frost White Shimmer Paint, which, though retired, is still available on the Clearance Rack.

I stamped the background flourish from Creative Elements in Blushing Bride. Then I stamped the flower from the same set in Primrose Petals, all on Whisper White cardstock.

I put some Frost White Shimmer paint in an aluminum pie plate, scrunched up some cellophane wrap and dipped it in, then stamped on the paper.

I used the Heat Tool on the low setting and dried the paint.

I inked up my brayer in Blushing Bride ink and rolled it over the paper, It nicely brought out the shiny Shimmer paint and made it look like mother of pearl.

I'm getting a lot of mileage out of the Lots of Thanks stamp set these days, and the Apothecary Accents Framelits.

I've been missing Primrose Petals and the beautiful Stitched Satin Ribbon that goes along with it, so I was glad that the Design Team at Dynamic Duos gave me an opportunity to dig it out and use it again.

So have a happy Monday, and just remember, even though you're back to work....Castle is on TV tonight!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Yesterday, I sewed for the first time in ages! I'm sewing bedding for my youngest grandson, Wyatt.

Isn't he adorable? Such a happy guy and full of smiles and giggles at 3 months old!

He is the son of my oldest daughter, Erin and my son-in-law, Jonny! I'm using a navy stripe, like ticking and some ochre-coloured cotton for the pattern.

And guess what? My Stampin' Up Craft Scissors cut that material like it was butter! I'll show you the results once I finish.

In the meantime, it's time to announce the winner of the September Mystery Hostess Contest. Teri Coady won the Hostess Rewards, her choice of free product from Stampin' Up! You will have a chance to win, too, next month. The last week of every month is a Mystery Hostess Contest Week. Congratulations, Teri, and we will connect to arrange for your free product.

Here's a quick sample for you. It was a card I designed for a workshop, but decided against it because of the time consuming faux suede technique. I posted it on Pinterest instead and entered it in the Crafting with Connie and Mary Challenge #269, where it won a Top 3 Pick. Here's the pic:

The star of the show is the faux suede flower which I made by punching out 4 scallop circles with the largest scallop circle punch. I worked those circles with my bone folder until the paper plies separated and I gently pulled them apart which creates that suede look! I sponge the edges and fastened them in the middle with a brad, then scrunched each layer up around the brad.

The palette of Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding and Island Indigo came from the Venetian Romance DSP that I used here. The one with the stylized chevrons worked perfectly for one of the flags in the Challenge Sketch.

The other flag was made by punching only the end of the paper with the Petite Pennants Builder Punch.

The sentiment is from Express Yourself, a Hostess Only stamp set that I find myself using time and time again! Host a Private Party with me and you could get it for free!

Saturday, September 28, 2013

After doing 4 classes in three days and travelling over 100 km to do it, I'm bagged! Tonight, I'm just looking forward to curling up in front of the TV and watching a movie. I think it's going to be Star Trek: Into Darkness since I missed it in the theatres.

I loved the first new Star Trek movie! I thought it was perfectly balanced between action, comedy, and drama and perfectly paced all the way through. The casting was excellent as well.

I've heard mixed reviews on Into Darkness, but really, with Benedict Cumberbatch, how could you go wrong. I'll let you know what I think!

My youngest daughter turns 26 this coming week! When she was a toddler, she would get what we called "a monkey look" that usually preceded some kind of mischief. Now her little boy, Parker, gets the same look in his eyes as his Mama did!

I wanted to make a card for Jaimie that would reflect her fun, bright personality and her heart for others as she blesses us all with her love and sense of joy and the unique person that she is.

I know James loves fall and fall colours, as well as simplicity so this is what I came up:

I used Magnificent Maple again, just because it creates such striking leaf images.

The Pumpkin Pie Polka Dot Designer Series Paper comes from the Brights Collection Paper Stacks. It's just the perfect colour for Jaimie.

I decided to use the 7/8" Cotton Ribbon for the flags and for the ribbon because Jaimie loves natural and because I could stamp on it. I used Early Espresso ink to stamp a sentiment from Bring on the Cake on the ribbon. I backed it with Early Espresso card stock for contrast.

The sentiment on the main image panel is from A Dozen Thoughts and it is so appropriate for my unique daughter.

Finally, one of the Feel Goods sentiments for the inside! I hope she likes it.

Don't forget that today is the last day for the Mystery Hostess Contest this month. Order on-line using Hostess Code: DCW4Q3U9 or call or message me with your order and get your name in the draw to win the free product from Stampin' Up!

Leave me a comment about how you liked Star Trek Into Darkness, if you saw it! I'm curious to know.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Christmas is my favourite time of year. You know why? The presents are fun! Family get-togethers are awesome (usually!) The food is amazing! But the best part is that everything sparkles and I love sparkles! Anything that shines catches my eye!

As soon as I saw the sketch for As You See It Challenges 004, I knew what I wanted to do with it. I wanted to use the Festive Flurry Stamp Set and Framelits to create snowflakes for the trio on the middle panel.

Look at that gorgeous specialty designer series paper - Winter Frost! I've been dying to use one of the foil sheets ever since I saw them - and reluctant at the same time because there's only one sheet of each design in the pack!

The rectangular strip is also from Winter Frost Specialty DSP, but it is not one of the foil designs. Very pretty, nonetheless!

I stamped the smallest snowflake from Festive Flurries 6 times - 3 in Coastal Cabana and 3 in Encore Silver Metallic Ink. I die cut them with the smallest Festive Flurries framelit. Then I fussy cut the small star shape in the center of the Coastal Cabana flakes and the small hexagon shape from the middle of the Silver Metallic flakes*. I could do this because the centers are covered by the shapes as they are mounted on top of each other.

I used Stampin' Dimensionals to pop up the various layers on the snowflakes, but on the small star shape I added two dimensionals, one on top of the other, because of the holes cut in the large snowflakes middles. *See above.

The ribbon bordering the center strip of DSP is the 1/8" Silver Ribbon from the Holiday Catalogue! So pretty and sparkly!

The sentiment is from a carry-over set from last year called More Merry Messages. It's not in the catalogue but if you search in the Stampin' Up On-Line store, you can find it. I've stamped it in VersaMark ink and heat embossed it with Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder!

Adding some Rhinestone Basic Jewels gives one last sparkle to the whole project!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Well, after that unproductive day, I had a whole bunch of stuff to do to prepare for 3 workshops!! I didn't get it all done so it's going to get squeezed into the gaps between events! Why do I do that to myself? I guess I work better under pressure, but I just don't LIKE working under pressure! I'm looking forward to this morning's party down in Okanagan Falls with Dianne and her friends! They are such a fun group! Then tomorrow night is my regular Big Shot Club and I came up with the greatest project for them!!

I was inspired by technique I found on Julie Davison's blog yesterday. By the way, my upline Tamara and I met Julie briefly at convention this summer. We were in the Recognition Room and she offered to take our pictures. She was really friendly!

Here's the project I came up with:

Here's the wall decor with all the Peek-a-boo frames closed.

And here it is with all the little secrets revealed! It was great fun making it. To see how to make the Peek-a-boo Frames slide open like that, you're best to watch Julie's video tutorial. She gives such clear directions. I just altered it for the different shaped frames.

Here's a close up of one of the panels open and shut:

If you would like more information on how to make this cute autumn wall decor, leave me a comment below with your email, or email me and I will send you a photo tutorial on how to create it and what materials I used.

This would be a great advent calendar for Christmas, with smaller panels and 25 of them, of course!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Ever have them? They drive me crazy! Every time I get down to doing something, an interruption will stop the flow of determination and inspiration! I cleaned up my craft room for like the hundredth time this week, but that didn't help. I went to put my markers in a better spot and they spilled out of my holder - every. stinkin'. one of them!! And that wasn't the only thing that dropped or tipped or dumped today!
I was missing a container for something and I swear I searched every square inch of my craft room to no avail. Then I found it sometime later, right on my desk, in plain sight! Someone is playing tricks on me, I think!

Oh, well. I can always hope that tomorrow will be better. At least I got a card made, and this blog post done, and a bunch of little niggly things finished. None of them were on my goal list, but they were all little things that needed to be done at some point but low priority.

Anniversary cards seem to call out to the Everything Eleanor stamp set and I could picture that lovely vintage label right where the circle is in the MOJO sketch.

I love this DSP from Epic Day (as opposed to my non-Epic Day) and it suggested a palette of Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and Whisper White.

I used some Pool Party Core'dinations card stock for the center strip and embossed it using Mosaic Madness embossing folder, then sanded the edges and the designs to let the light core show through.

I stamped the flower images from Everything Eleanor in the two colours and hand cut them, as I did with the label behind them. I used a bone folder to bend the petals and give the blossoms some dimension.

The sentiment is from the hostess set, Express Yourself. It's a nice font, but simple and perfect for this card. I stamped before I embossed the Pool Party panel.

You can't have vintage without a few pearls, so I added three large ones on the flowers.

And that's a wrap for this day! Better to cut my losses and try again tomorrow. I have another anniversary card to share with you then.

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About Me

I'm an avid crafter and a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in Canada located in the sunny Okanagan Valley! I have a hubby and three grown girls and six grandkids, four loveable boys and two adorable girls. Two cats complete the household as well as rule it! I really should get more exercise, but everytime the urge hits, I head to the craft room until it passes!

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The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of Heather Cooper. I am happy to share my creations with you for your personal inspiration! However, please do not copy or submit my work as your own to any publication or contest. I am thrilled and honoured when you CASE my work, but please give credit where credit is due. Thanks so much!